Apparatus for producing wrinkle texture on nonwrinkling films



June 13,, 3950 w. F. FLANAGAN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING WRINKLE TEXTURE 0NNONWRINKLING FILMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 12, 1946 mvzm'onWELUAM E FLANAGAN y Wm ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FLANAGAN y u @FQw ywvw Z a, 3

ON NONWRINKLING FILMS APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING WRINKLE TEXTURE June 13,1950 Driginal Filed Nov. 12,

INYEWTOR 5mm F. FLANAGAN 6 v ATTQRNEQS Patented June 13, 1950 APPARATUSFOR PRODUCING WRINKLE TEXTURE N NONWRINKLING FILMS Wiliiam F. Flanagan,Dayton, Ohio, assignor to New Wrinkle, Inc., Dayton, Ohio, a corporationof Delaware Original application November 12, 1946, Serial N 0. 709,310.Divided and this application March 30, 1948, Serial No. 17,817

1 Claim. 1

This application is a division of my copending application Serial 'No.709,310 filed November 12, 1946.

This invention deals with an apparatus for making wrinkle coatings, andin particular with an apparatus for transforming coatings ofnonwrinkling compositions wrinkle texture.

It is an object of this invention to give a wrinkle texture to a coatingwhich has heretofore been held non-wrinkling.

It is another object of this invention to provide wrinkle coatings thatare fast drying.

It is still another object of this invention to provide wrinkle-texturedfilms in an unusually simple and inexpensive manner.

It is still another object of this invention to give a wrinkle textureto a conventional nonwrinkling coating by means of materials which areextremely inexpensive.

It is still another object of this invention to produce a.Wrinkle-textured finish which has a predetermined pattern within saidtexture.

It was found that by the simple method of spraying water on thepreferably warm coating, 9. wrinkle texture develops which has anentirely uniform pattern. I do not know the reason for this unexpectedand striking result. However, it

seems possible and likely that the wrinkle formation is caused by adifferent rate or reduction in temperature at various locations withinthe coating, the water causing a more rapid cooling down at thelocations where it is applied than does occur at the non-wetted spots.This, however, is merely an assumption for which no proof is available.

All thermoplastic resins were found operative for the process andproducts of my invention. Thus, for example, vinyl acetate copolymers,vinyl chloride copolymers or a mixture of the two, chlorinated rubbers,styrene polymers and copolymers, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetatebutyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, methyl cellulose, vinylbutyrate,polyethylene, butadiene copolymers such as butadiene acrylonitrile andbutadiene styrene copolymers, methyl methacrylate, vinylidene copolymer,vinyl alcohol polymers, vinyl acetate polymers, vinyl chloridevinylidenechloride copolymer and mixtures of these substances are among thosewhich were found satisfactory for the process of my invention.

As the solvents, those were preferred which have a, high evaporationrate. For instance, methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, butyl acetate, cy-

into such having a clohexanone, xylol, toluol, toluol together with ni-Aroparafllns, and amyl acetate were foundhighly' satisfactory. Theconcentration of the resin solution depends upon the viscosity desired.The lower the viscosity, the better the skinning action will be.Generally, a concentration of from 10 to parts by weight of resin perparts by weight of solution was the range found satisfactory. Theviscosity preferred was approximately 36.2 centipoises at 25 C. However,this viscosity is by no means obligatory, especially not since the wayof applying the coating composition also necessitates an adjustment ofthe concentration of the solution as will be set forth in a laterparagraph.

While a resin solution consisting merely of resin and solvent is fullysatisfactory, it is often advantageous and therefore desirable to add aplasticizer. All plasticizers known in the art are suitabe for thispurpose. Tricresyl phosphate, dioctyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalateare examples for suitable plasticizers.

Other auxiliary ingredients may be added to the resin solution withoutdeviating from the concept of the invention. Thus, filler materials,pigments and dyes may be incorporated into the coating solution.

The coating composition may be applied by any means known in the art.Knifing, rolling and spraying have been used with satisfaction. It willbe obvious that for spraying, the use of a less viscous solution isadvisable than is preferred for knifing or rolling.

A thin skin is then developed on the surface of said coating. This maybe done by merely allowing the coating partly to dry at room temperatureor else by flash heating, the latter being the preferred method. Theflash heating step may be carried out, for example, with infrared heat,with a hot air blast, or in an oven having the temperature necessary.The heating time as well as the temperature depend upon the compositionapplied, in particular on the boiling point and evaporation rate of thesolvent, and also to a certain degree upon the heat sensibility of thebase material on which the coating has been applied. In general, heatingfrom 35 C. for four minutes up to C. for approximately 30 seconds wasfound to give satisfactory results.

The film, after a, thin surface skin has formed, is then exposed toawater spray. For this, plain tap water suflices; however, water towhich a small amount of wetting agent has been added gives betterresults and in particular a more uniform texture. The addition of up to3% wetting agent was found the preferred quantity. All wetting agentsknown are operative for the process of the invention. It is desirablethat the spraying step is carried out without great delay afterformation of the skin has set in.

The water sprayed onto the coating does not evaporate immediately fromthe surface of the film, but it is being absorbed rapidly by thecoating. This is another phenomenon which was not to be expected and forwhich there is no explanation available as yet. wrinkling formation setsin immediately and increases as the film cools down. Drying of thewater-sprayed and wrinkled film may be either carried out by forcedmeans such as oven drying, or by letting the film air-dry until thesolvent has evaporated. A combination of heating and air-drying wasfound especially satisfactory. In this case, heating for a fraction of aminute suffices in order to initiate the drying procedure.

The film produced by the process of my invention may be used as such orin combination with a base on which it has been applied. If the film isto be employed alone, it has to be removed from the base plate on whichit has been prepared. In such case, the use of smooth rigid plates, asfor example metal bands, glass plates, hard rubber plates or the like,is advisable. In order to facilitate removing of the film from the base.it is recommendable to apply 9, thin coat of lubricant thereto prior tocoating with the resin solution. Another very satisfactory method,instead of lubricating the plate, is that of dipping the base with thefinished film into a solution of trisodium phosphate for a short perodof time. After such a pretreatment, the film may be easily removed by ascraper or other means known in the art.

The new wrinkle coating may, however, be applied to a proper basewiththe intention to obtain a combination material. Thus, paper, glass,cloth material, metal articles and many others may be permanentlyprovided with a film produced by the method of the invention.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the steps of applyingand fiash drying the film prior to water spraying may be combined intoone single step by using a heated doctor blade for spreading the film onthe base plate.

In addition to the production of a uniform wrinkle pattern, additionaleffects may be obtained in the surface appearance of the coating of myinvention. Thus, for example, metal powder may be applied to the baseplate prior to coating it with the resinous material. This gives aparticularly pleasing metallic luster to the product obtained, no matterwhether it is to be used on the base plate or as a film by itself. Themetal powder, in the case that the film is peeled off, sticks to thesurface of the resin coating so that the metallic appearance will beretained in the film after its removal from the base.

Another way of modifying the appearance is by giving it a pattern ofdifferent colors. This may be done by choosing a dye of selectivesolubility.

Thus, for example, a dye may be used which is soluble in water but notinthe solvent used for the resin. In this case, it will only enter thewater droplets and thus appear only in spots in the film. On the otherhand, a dye may be used which is water insoluble but soluble in theresin solvent; a similar multicolored effect will be obtained in thiscase.

I also found that a pattern may be obtained within the wrinkle textureby causing the development of wrinkles of diiferent sizes. Theapplication of different degrees of heat in diflerent spots of the filmproved to yield wrinkles of dissimilar size. For example, I heated thefilm on a plate which was heated by electrical heating coils. Thesecoils were arranged in a diamondshaped relationship. When I removed thefilm heated on this plate, the pattern in which the resistance wasarranged in said heating plate was reproduced in the film, the filmshowing coarse wrinkles along the lines corresponding to the wires ofresistance and finer wrinkles therebetween. While this pattern-heating,as I call it, may be done before or after spraying with water, Iobtained better results when heated prior to the application of water.This is a new way of producing patterns in wrinkle finishes, and bymodifying the arrangement of the resistance in the heating device, agreat variety of patterns may be produced in the most simple manner.

By combining the various modifying procedures described in theforegoing, further new effects may be obtained. Thus, unpredictablepossibilities are available for the production of variegated wrinklepatterns from non-wrinkling coating materials.

The uses of the coatings of my invention are manifold. The materials aresuitable for curtains, rain coats, oil cloth, either alone or as appliedto an appropriate base material, they are usable for protecting metalparts against rust or other surface-corrosive effects, they may beapplied to paper, glass or the like and then be used, for example, asthe material for lamp shades, they may be used as leather imitationExample grams vinyl acetate-vinyl chloride copolymer 4 grams dioctylphthalate 200 grams butyl acetate 43 grams methyl ethyl ketone 14 gramscyclohexanone The resin copolymer used was formed of 87 molal per centof vinyl chloride and '13 molal per cent of vinyl acetate. It wasdissolved in the solvents, and the plastieizer, dioctyl phthalate, wasthen added. After the mixture had completely dissolved, an additionalquantity of solvent was added until a viscosity of 36.2 centipoises at25 C. was obtained. The solution was then flowed by gravity onto a glassplate and passed under a doctor blade which was adjusted so as to yielda film of between 20 and 25 mils. The glass plate with the film was thenheated to 65 C. for 3 minutes when a thin skin had formed on the surfacethereof and immediately sprayed with water which contained 1.5% ofTergitol, a wetting agent sold by Carblde and Carbon ChemicalsCorporation. The glass plate with the film was then allowed to cool downfor approximately 15 minutes. During this time the wrinkle formation setin, and the water completely disappeared from the surface. Thereafterthe film was oven dried for a very short time in order completely toremove the solvent therefrom. Finally the glass plate was immersed intoa 10% solution of trisodium phosphate whereupon the film could be easilystripped off the plate.

I wish to mention that forced drying. after water spraying. is notnecessary and that the same result may be obtained by merely letting thecoated articles air-dry. Due to this fact, the process of my inventionmay be carried out in an extremely simple and inexpensive manner andwithout requiring any skilled labor.

In the accompanying drawings, a few embodiments of my invention areillustrated by way of example. These illustrations are not intended tobe of limitatory character.

In these drawings,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of an apparatus;

Figure 2 is a similar diagrammatic elevational view of a modification ofthe apparatus of my invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section through theheating plate of Figure 2 along the line 3-3;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional plan view of the heating platetaken along line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a film obtained with theheating plate illustrated in Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail; and particularly to Figure 1, thereference numeral l3 illustrates an endless metal band .guided over adriving roller II which is driven by a motor l2 via a belt 13. The beltI3 is also guided over a number of guide rolls l4, I5, l3, l1, l3, l3and 23. Over the metal belt l3 there is arranged a reservoir 2| whichholdsa resin solution composed of a non-wrinkling resin dissolved in aproper solvent. A pipe 22 forms the outlet for dispensing said resinsolution onto the metal band in the form of a film 23. A doctor blade 23is adjustably supported on a rack 25 close to said reservoir 2|. Thisblade may be adjusted according to the thickness desired of the film.Next to said doctor blade, there islarranged a drying oven 23. Thereference numeral 21 indicates a spraying device with which a waterspray 23 is applied to the film 23. Next to the .water spray 21 there isarranged another drying oven 23, and following it there is mounted achamber 33. A pipe 32 which is connected with a pump 3| leads into saidchamber 33. An outlet 32 is also arranged at the chamber 33 for thesolvent driven off from the film; this outlet may be connected with asolvent recovery system (not shown). A bath 33 containing a solution oftrisodium phosphate 34 is arranged next to the blasting chamber; theguide rolls l5, l3, l1 and G3 are attached to this bath. Next to theoutlet end of the bath 33 there is arranged 'a scraper 35. The referencenumeral 33 indicates a winding reel for the film 23..

The device illustrated in Figure 1 operates as follows: The metal bandI3 is continuously driven in the direction of the arrow. A resinsolution is dispensed from the reservoir 2| through the pipe 22 onto themetal band 93; the doctor blade 24 then spreads the resin composition soas to form a film of uniform and predetermined thickness.

. Thereafter the film is fiash heated in the oven 23 for a period oftime just sufficient to develop a thin surface skin. The metal band thencarries the film under the water sprayer 21 where it is thinly coveredwith a layer of finely dispersed water droplets. in the instanceillustrated, the film is then brought into the oven 23 where it issubjected to brief drying. There the wrinkle texture starts to develop,and the water is absorbed by the film. Thereafter the film covered metal6 band arrives at the chamber 33 where it is treated with a warm airblast in order fully to remove the solvent. The metalband, which is nowcovered with a dry, homogeneous film of a uniform wrinkle texture, thenenters the bath 33; the trisodium phosphate contained therein loosensthe film from the metal base whereby peeling off of the coating isfacilitated. Thereafter the film is removed by thescraper 35. Thefinished product is then received by and wound onto the reel 33.

In Figure 2 a modification of my process and the apparatus advantageousfor carrying out this specific embodiment are illustrated. There anendless band 31 is guided over rollers 33 and 33 and driven in thedirection of the arrow. A dispensing hopper 43 equipped with a heatingcoil 4| is arranged at the place where the band enters the upper levelof the loop. The hopper 43 contains wax material which is held in amolten condition by means of a hot medium circulating in the heatingcoil 4|. A thin layer of wax is applied to the band by means of anoutlet 42, and a doctor blade 43, which is arranged next to saidreservoir, provides for uniform thickness of said wax layer. The waxcoated band then arrives under a sprayer 44 which is connected with acontainer 45. This container holds a resin solution. A film 46 isproduced by spraying this resin solution onto the band 31. Next to thedispenser 45 there is installed a heating device 41 which consists oftwo high-frequency heating plates 43 and 43. There the film is heateduntil a thin skin has formed on the surface. Thereafter the film coatedband comes under a sprayer 53 from which water 5| is sprayed thereonsimilarly as is shown in Figure 1. The film material now leaving theendless belt 31 is cut into pieces by a knife 52. In this instance thesheets 53 are individually dried on a plurality of heating tables, oneof which only is shown in the drawing of Figure 2; this heating table isindicated with the reference numeral 53. The detached film-coveredplates are designated with the reference numeral 54. Each heating tableis equipped with a heating plate 55 in which the heat is created byelectricity. Figures 3 and 4 show the heating plate 55 on an enlargedscale. This heating plate 55 consists of a plate 56 of insulatedmaterial in which metal coils 51 are embedded. From Figure 4 it isapparent how the heating calls 51 are arranged in a diamondshapedpattern.

In'Figure 5 part of the film obtained on the heating plate 55 isillustrated. It will be seen from this figure that two kinds of wrinklesare clearly distinguishable, namely those 58 located along the linescorresponding to the diamondshaped arrangement of the heating coils and1 those 53 therebetween, the wrinkles 58 being of greater depth andwidth than the wrinkles 53.

It will be understood that while there have been described hereincertain specific embodiments of the invention, it is not intendedthereby to have it limited to or circumscribed by the specific :detailsgiven in view of the fact that this invention is susceptible to variousmodifications andchanges which come within the spirit claim.

I claim:

An apparatus for producing wrinkle-textured films comprising a belt;means for driving said belt; a container with a resin solution;dispensing means on said container for applying said resin solution tosaid belt; means for developing a skin on' said resin solution; meansfor sprayin: water onto said skin: means for evaporating the solventfrom said resin solution; a trisodium phosphate-containing bath forloosening said film 5 on said belt; and means for peeling said film fromsaid belt.

WILLIAM F. FLANAGAN.

8 summons 0mm UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,529,813 ResteinMar. 17, 1925 2,007,392 Dreyfus July 9, 1935 2,405,977 Peters Aug. 20,1946

